The Word Became Flesh1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and[b] is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders[c] in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”

It is easy to fall into the trap of measuring Life Group health in the wrong way. Life Groups are the best environment for a person (child, student, or adult) to find a place to belong and where we can become more like Jesus.

Unfortunately, many churches across America measure the health and success of a Life Group by how many fit in the room instead of by how we are leading people to follow Jesus. Disciple making is relational. It can't be mass produced or microwaved. 

One change to our Life Groups this fall (due to the Coronavirus pandemic) that will help us get better at making disciples is changing the rows from many of our groups to circles (easier for social distancing). Circles are better than rows for making disciples.

Each of the Six Essentials of Healthy Life Groups push us to fulfill the command of God to "make disciples of all people."

PRAY
Will you pray that God will give you a fresh picture of how your Life Group can accomplish the Great Commission in the Midlands with the life stage demographics of your Life Group?

​7th & 8th Graders
312 weeks until graduation . . .
 
What’s this phase all about? 
Ah, middle school. Somewhere in the world you might find a few random middle-schoolers who are graceful, confident, unembarrassed by their parents, and totally sure of their ability to conquer the adolescence years. However, the majority of them are rather awkwardly navigating a world that’s totally new to them. Big feet, braces, and body odor are just a few of the physical changes they’re undergoing. Social changes might be even more dramatic. Hormones, new cliques, and first crushes turn a previously undramatic social dynamic upside down.  And, emotionally? Second toddlerhood, anyone? Cry, laugh, yell, giggle, cry, giggle harder, cry louder, slam door, snuggle in your lap. You can never be certain what they’re feeling because they’re never certain. Middle school is sometimes like a second dip into toddlerhood (especially if you have that kiddo who is determined to disagree with everything just to prove they can.)

​6th Graders
364 weeks until graduation . . .
 
What’s this phase all about? 
Who knows? Ok, not really, but 6th grade seems to be trapped in an endless identity crisis. School districts can’t even agree on whether it belongs in elementary or middle school. And, many 6th graders are just as unclear on things. Physically, mentally, and emotionally they are caught between two worlds. There is more diversity among this age group than any other. Some 6th graders are physically maturing, while others are still a couple of years away from any hints of puberty. Some are still playing with toys on a regular basis, and other are putting on makeup and talking about boyfriends. Some have a fairly stable, easy-going personality, but many of them are going back-and-forth between personas with alarming interchangeability!  Although it might be exasperating to you, remember it is probably just as frustrating to them (and they don’t have the maturity to deal with it.)

​4th & 5th Graders
468 weeks until graduation . . .
 
What’s this phase all about? 
Friends, friends, and more friends. 4th & 5th graders are beginning their quest to find their place in the world. Sorry, Mom, but peer approval is beginning to matter more than yours. This is especially true for girls. You may think that dress is really cute, but if her best friend said that style is for little kids, good luck talking her into wearing it! This is the age where ability begins to matter more than enthusiasm when it comes to team sports, dance class, or drama club. Kids begin to gravitate toward kids with common interest and cliques begin to form. Maybe for the first time, your 4th or 5th grader will feel significantly different or even left out.  

​2nd & 3rd Grades
572 weeks until graduation . . .
 
What’s this phase all about?
Fairness and rules! “That’s not fair!” is the battle cry of this group.  Although still primarily concrete thinkers, 2nd & 3rd graders are beginning to understand some abstracts. Many are now aware enough to understand for the first time that the world isn’t fair – some kids aren’t good at sports, some kids don’t have enough food to eat, some kids don’t have any friends – but they’re still innocent enough to believe it could be fair if people would just follow the rules. However, some kids this age are notorious for demanding that everyone else follow the rules while forgetting that the rules also apply to them!

​Kindergarten & 1st Grade
676 weeks until graduation . . .
 
What’s this phase all about?
Kindergarten here we come! More than a few parents get misty-eyed on that first day. This milestone signals that your baby really is growing up. With kindergarten comes the need for routines. If you haven’t already, you’ll need to begin structured bedtimes and wake-up times. Many kindergarteners will have a few minutes of homework that needs to become part of a nightly routine. Children, even free-spirits, thrive on structure and routine during this phase. Matter of fact, you may notice disruptions to the routine cause problems. All three of our children struggled on Thursday afternoons and evenings as kindergarteners (one even through 1st grade). Meltdowns were prevalent. We realized it was because we were out later on Wednesday nights with church commitments that were a disruption to our normal bedtime routine. We learned how to approach Thursdays in a way that minimized the effects of our later evening, but we also learned to be prepared to be extra patient!

​Preschool (3-4 years)
780 weeks until graduation . . .
 
What’s this phase all about?
Although there may still be a lot of emphasis on potty-training and continued physical independence, the preschool phase is full of mental and emotional growth. Preschoolers are beginning to figure out the world around them. Their verbal skills are taking off, and many are replacing tantrums with a continual barrage of, “Why?”. When you give an answer, your preschooler will probably respond to that with another, “Why?”. Close behind “Why?” follow “Where?”, “When?”, “Who?”, and “How?”. Some days your child may resemble a Pulitzer-winning, investigative journalist more than a preschooler!